Old Reflections
by Storymind
Summary: Rating just to be safe. Jiro comes back one day to the Komyoji family in hopes of getting Ichido and Ray a Gemini like his own. But will he have to confront what Mitsuko feels now?
1. Memories Like Snow

Old Reflections  
  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Kikaider, or any characters thereof. I am making this out of pure imagination and creativity, without money involved. Read on! ^_^ (AN: I do not know the woman's name that traveled with Jiro after he left Mitsuko. You know, the one who was in 'custody' of Akida? I never found out her name, hopefully I will now.) Storymind~  
  
Chapter One: Memories like Snow  
  
Mitsuko packed up the last of Masaru's childhood toys, laughing occasionally as she remembered just when he played with them. She labeled the box and put it aside with the others, moving on to the things underneath his bed.  
  
"Masaru. such a scatter-brain!" Mitsuko laughed once more.  
  
Her hand brushed something else, almost square, like a book. Dragging it out of the dust and old toys, she found it was a book, but not quite. It was a photo album, from not too long ago. In the pictures were Hadori, and Etsuko, some even had their father in them, newly restored to health. Then Mitsuko came upon a few she had never seen before.  
  
"These must be Masaru's own pictures he'd taken himself." She mumbled, "Why did he hide them from me?"  
  
A few showed Dr. Komyoji's destroyed lab, and even the place they'd hidden Jiro when he was wanted for murder and terrorizing the city. It hurt for her to see these pictures, but she went on, page and page, picture after picture. memory after memory. She came to the last picture of the unfinished book of memories.  
It was a copy of the original she had. It showed a group of people who were once united in the event to stop an evil organization from doing bad things. Hadori, Etsuko, Jiro, Masaru and herself.  
  
The door opened and she heard Masaru gasp. "Mitsuko. what. What are you doing?"  
  
She set down his photo album, turning to face him, "While you were at school, I was packing your things."  
  
Masaru had grown up a lot since Jiro had come and gone into their lives. When Jiro had come to them, Masaru had been but a child, barely seven. Now, he was almost thirteen. And five long years of waiting had kept her going.  
  
"I would have let you have the picture, you didn't have to take it you know." She said calmly.  
  
Masaru captured a guilty look on his face, "I didn't know. I thought you'd be mad."  
  
"Masaru, I could never be mad at you, especially if you wanted to see Jiro again. I do, too." Mitsuko said.  
  
Masaru looked down, "That's not all."  
  
"What is it?" Mitsuko asked, confused.  
  
Before Masaru could answer, the doorbell rang. Their father being out, Mitsuko left the room to answer it, while Masaru trailed guilt-filled behind him. Moving a few boxes out of the way, she opened the door with a gasp and small scream.  
Standing just beyond the steps was Jiro, looking exactly the same as he had when he left. Without another thought, Mitsuko practically flew down the steps of the once-dark porch and into Jiro's arms. Masaru just stood in the same place, looking at the ground like he was caught red-handed at the cookie jar.  
  
"Oh this is great!" Mitsuko exclaimed, slightly muffled through Jiro's jacket.  
  
"I'm glad you think so." Jiro said softly, looking the tiniest bit guilty himself.  
  
Mitsuko looked playfully angry when she pushed herself away from Jiro far enough to look at him, "What took you so long?"  
  
"I had to. help someone with something." Jiro said vaguely.  
  
Mitsuko just squeezed herself to him once more, "This is just great though."  
  
"Masaru, aren't you going to say hello?" Dr. Komyoji said behind Jiro.  
  
"Oh, hi dad." Masaru said, ignoring his request that Masaru should greet Jiro.  
  
Masaru knew why he was here, and it wasn't for reasons he wanted it to be. Why, why couldn't Jiro have come back on his own terms, wanting to be with them again, as a family? Masaru choked back his longing yell.  
  
In a terse voice he said, "Hello, Jiro."  
  
"Masaru." Jiro nodded back to him.  
  
"What is this, a family reunion?" A black-haired boy came out of the forest, "Nope, not here, Jiro."  
  
"Are you sure, Ichido?" He asked, looking grim.  
  
Another black-haired boy came out, "Yes, she's not here and neither is Akida."  
  
"Let's get inside, there is much to explain, my Kikaiders." Dr. Komyoji said, motioning to the door.  
  
"Kikaiders?" Mitsuko asked, "They're both Kikaider too?"  
  
"Let's get inside, first, and explain later." Dr. Komyoji said, once more motioning to the door.  
  
Masaru went inside, and sat on the couch with the others, exactly where he had so long ago when he had first come to meet Jiro. Only now, things were so different. Masaru was no longer the little boy he had been, and Jiro was no longer the confused android.  
  
"So." Dr. Komyoji said while sitting down beside Masaru on the opposite couch now, "Why exactly are you here?"  
  
"Why? He promised to come back to us, daddy." Mitsuko said, still smiling the world for Jiro.  
  
Jiro took his hand from Mitsuko's and covered his face, leaning on his knees bent over the couch and Masaru said, "That's not the reason, as much as I'd like to believe it. I've been sending letters and email and stuff with Jiro for almost two years now."  
  
Mitsuko looked shocked, surprised, appalled, and outraged, "No one told me?" Her voice was shaking with anger, "No one bothered to contact me? Or. at least tell me what's going on?"  
  
"It's not like that, lady." Ichido said, standing with his hands in his pockets, usual cocky grin on his face, "Things happened."  
  
"Things? Things?" Mitsuko asked quietly. "What kind of things could have stopped you from keeping that promise."  
  
"Mitsuko.." Jiro started. The doorbell rang solemnly through the house.  
  
Jiro got up and rushed to open the door. Mitsuko didn't move, nor did her father or brother. Ichido and Ray where the only ones to acknowledge something had happened. Their voices from the hall echoed as solemnly as the doorbell, filling that gaps of loneliness this house seemed to radiate. and this was why they were on the verge of leaving this all behind them.  
  
"I'm just glad you're ok. And Akida?" Jiro said.  
  
"Fine. He's right here. Thanks for your concern, I really appreciate it." A female voice sounded.  
  
"You're welcome. Come on. Ichido and Ray are here. And a few other people I knew once." Jiro stated, leading whomever it was into the room.  
  
Jealously erupted in Mitsuko, though she knew absolutely nothing about this woman. She looked like she could be Mitsuko's sister, or even a twin. The woman was holding a little boy who looked really quite frightened, and clung to her shirt.  
  
"Miori, Ichido, Ray," Jiro said, pointing to them all in turn for the Komyoji's benefit, "This is Mitsuko, Masaru, and Dr. Komyoji."  
  
"Nice to meet you all." Miori said.  
  
"Same here." Ichido mirrored, smile still in place. Ray and Akida said nothing, so Mitsuko was compelled to speak instead.  
  
"And who is he?" She asked.  
  
"Oh, that's Akida." Jiro said quietly. Miori put her hand on Jiro's arm lightly, making Mitsuko's blood boil. Quickly, she left the room.  
  
"But-." Jiro said, so quietly almost no one heard him. Almost. Masaru, who was right behind him now, looked up and then went to comfort Mitsuko.  
  
Ichido sat down, lounging on the couch looking out of place. Soon following, Ray, Miori and Jiro sat, too.  
  
"I suppose you should tell me now, just why is it you came?" Dr. Komyoji began what was going to be a long talk.  
  
__________*  
  
Mitsuko sunk down on the bed, while Masaru sat down beside her gently.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mitsuko. I didn't mean to keep it a secret, really." Masaru apologized.  
  
"It's not that, Masaru. I can understand your wanting to keep it secret."  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"That woman. I don't like her, not one bit!" Mitsuko said suddenly.  
  
"But you don't know her!" Masaru protested weakly.  
  
"She.. She.." Mitsuko kept searching for something to use against the apparently offending woman.  
  
"You believe she took him away from us?" Masaru supplied quietly.  
  
Mitsuko looked up, "In a way, yes. He promised after Hadori and I left him at Gill's lab that he would come back. He promised, so why would he not?"  
  
"Did you ever think about it, really and honestly, Mitsuko?" Masaru asked.  
  
"Of course I thought about it!" Mitsuko exclaimed crossly, "I think about it every goddamn day, and it never gets any easier, the hurt never disappears because he'd never come back like he promised!"  
  
Appalled that she had emptied her emotions in a tormenting flow, she laid back onto the bed. Masaru rested against the headboard.  
  
"Mitsuko, it'll never get easier." Masaru said, acting as if twenty minutes ago Jiro had never come back, that no one strange had entered and once again shook up their lives and shrouded them in darkness, "I don't believe it will for an instant. But how do we know what happened down in Gill's lab when we left? I mean, apparently, I was so young I didn't even get past bushes, let alone see Jiro in the last moments before he left. You yourself believed he was still alive, why was it so impossible Gill hadn't been defeated?"  
  
Mitsuko sat up slowly, "What do you mean?"  
  
She was also realizing at this time that Masaru had grown up more than he let on. He had the mind and skill of a seventeen-year-old, not just the age of thirteen. How could she have missed that?  
  
"What makes you believe that Gill ever really died in the explosion? In my eyes, if Jiro could survive it, so could Gill given the chance."  
  
A soft knock on the door reached their ears.  
  
"Come in." Mitsuko said automatically.  
  
Jiro came in, looking shy, "I already know everything the doctor is telling Ichido and Ray."  
  
They didn't say anything, so Jiro came in and leaned against the closed door, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong." Masaru lied.  
  
"Masaru.. Mitsuko. It's not like what you think." Jiro pleaded them to listen.  
  
"And what is it you believe we think? For that matter, who are you to even come here? You don't know us, or who we really are anymore. You have no place among us!" Mitsuko said angrily, voice rising.  
  
"I know that when I was first created you wanted to destroy me!" Jiro said, his own voice rising with mounting passion, "I know that when you left me in Gill's lab only five years ago that you loved me, as I did you!"  
  
"Are you sure that's love? Are you so quick to believe we loved one another, if you were so quick to leave us forever?" Mitsuko asked, yelling now.  
  
"I'm not sure what love is, but if you hate me now, that wasn't it. at least on your end. You may not have loved me, but I loved you!" Jiro said, quieting to a dangerous sort of voice that quivered with indignation.  
  
"Please, c'mon, we all make mistakes!" Masaru pleaded them to stop, "We don't need to fight, we just need to explain what really happened!"  
  
"Masaru, you may wonder if Gill really is alive, you may wonder why Jiro will never come back to us, but I don't." Mitsuko said, and almost running flat out to get out of the house that was loneliness. 


	2. Finding, Once Again

(AN: Sorry about the name-spelling mistakes, I fixed them. so uh, enjoy!)  
  
Chapter Two: Finding, Once Again  
  
Jiro had followed her out, worried about her safety of all things. He knew the risk of getting them involved again, and he had. Why had he? They didn't need another few androids in their lives, they had what they wanted. well, Masaru and Dr. Komyoji had what they wanted. As for Mitsuko, Jiro was sure she didn't know what she really wanted now.  
She was sitting where she had the night she fixed his arm and. No, now wasn't the time to think about such trivial things as love. He sat down beside her, but she didn't move or make any sound.  
  
"Mitsuko, for what it's worth, I'm sorry." Jiro started.  
  
"Sorry? What's there to be sorry about?"  
  
"Leaving, never coming back."  
  
"That was your choice."  
  
"But I made that promise to you." Jiro said, gazing at the stars.  
  
"And you broke it, too." Mitsuko said, her voice dull and full of pain.  
  
Jiro sighed, "I didn't want to." This time she looked at him, "Then why did you?"  
  
"Because of Miori,"  
  
"Oh. of course, the girl." Mitsuko said.  
  
"It's not like that!" Jiro said, growling in frustration, "I'm not in love with Miori, and I never will be!"  
  
"Then why didn't you come back?"  
  
"Is everything you ask full of that doubtingly sincere question?" Jiro asked.  
  
Mitsuko looked down, "No. not really."  
  
"Fine, I'll answer you if it'll make you happy." Jiro said, hanging his head low.  
  
Mitsuko glanced up, "Your only reason?"  
  
"Yes. I only left because I knew something was wrong. I didn't want you or anyone I knew before getting hurt, so I left. Left you and everyone else behind."  
  
"But you knew we'd help you, why?"  
  
"Mitsuko, aren't you listening?" Jiro asked, looking her in her eyes, "I didn't want you hurt, I did it to make sure you stayed safe and happy!"  
  
"But I wasn't happy.. Safe, yes, but I was never fully happy."  
  
"I know that now. But after another day of wandering, I came across Akira in the forest. He didn't talk, but was very, very scared of me. I didn't know why, but then Miori came to get him, and I told her she could trust me. I'd help her. So she explained just what was wrong with Akira. And I helped get her to safety." Jiro explained.  
  
"What is wrong with him? He must be an android, he barley blinks." Mitsuko mused aloud.  
  
"He's human all right. But there are differences about him. For instance, he's Gill's only son."  
  
Mitsuko gasped, "Really?" Jiro nodded, "But why did they need to get to safety? Surely Gill wouldn't try to kill his only son."  
  
"Oh he doesn't want to kill him. He wants to use him. What for, I'm not sure." Jiro said, "I met Ichiro at a shrine in the woods, and he's my older brother. He doesn't have a Gemini, and neither does Rei." "Well we already knew that the only other robot that was installed with a Gemini like yours was that golden bat.." Mitsuko said.  
  
"Yes. I had to teach them a lot. For starters, when I yelled Miori to Ichiro, he asked if I wanted him to kill them so they didn't slow us down." Jiro said slowly.  
  
"Wow. Father was a bit crude."  
  
"A few miles from the shrine where Ichiro was, we were ambushed by Hakaider."  
  
"But. Hakaider was killed in the battle." Mitsuko said.  
  
"No, Mitsuko, he wasn't. He was killed before. Saburo, at least, but his body never died. Instead, Gill is using it, the same way he had your father use it." Jiro said seriously.  
  
"You mean Gill's only a brain now?"  
  
Jiro nodded again, "And there are four Hakaiders now."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Mitsuko, I want to ask you a favor."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Ichiro and Rei. are very important to me now, just like you and Masaru. Is there any way we could. is it possible to be able to. give them a Gemini? Like mine?" Jiro stuttered.  
  
Mitsuko smiled, "We'll see what father can do."  
  
Jiro stood up, as did Mitsuko, "Are you going to come home now, or are you going to stay out here and replay a certain scene in your head?"  
  
"I was thinking on the certain scene already, but maybe I should go home with you." Mitsuko said.  
  
_____________*  
  
"Wait a moment. How come Jiro got this Gemini-thingy, and we didn't?" Ichiro asked a bit indignantly.  
  
"Well, I had believed when I created you that you didn't need the ability to have human emotions. At any rate, I hadn't created anything like the Gemini until the golden bat or Jiro." Dr. Komyoji explained.  
  
"I see." Rei said.  
  
"I don't." Ichiro said crossly, arms over his chest, "Who needs emotion anyway?"  
  
Dr. Komyoji laughed, and Masaru entered the room, "What's so funny?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing, my boy." Dr. Komyoji said.  
  
Miori came inside the room, and for the first time didn't have Akira. Rei raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't comment.  
  
"I finally got him to sleep. It's the first time he's done that since at least three weeks ago without breaking into a nightmare." She explained.  
  
"Oh. What're his dreams about?" Masaru asked curiously.  
  
"His father. being taken away from me, and Jiro." She said softly.  
  
Masaru's face contorted in. pain? "I doubt he'd be taken away if Jiro didn't want it to happen. Mitsuko never was really."  
  
"What do you mean, 'really'?" Dr. Komyoji asked sharply.  
  
"There was this time with a golden bat thingy. He came when Hadori was telling Mitsuko about what Gill had done to you, and Jiro wasn't there. I know for a fact that Hadori couldn't stop him." Masaru said.  
  
"Oh. yes, that." Dr. Komyoji said, wincing at the memory.  
  
"That what?" Mitsuko's voice suddenly sounded in the room.  
  
"Mitsuko!" Masaru exclaimed, and ran to hug her. He was a little shocked she was holding Jiro's hand, however.  
  
"Hello Masaru. I'm fine, don't fret." Mitsuko soothed.  
  
"Worked out your problems, have you?" Rei asked. It was the first time Mitsuko had heard him speak since they arrived.  
  
"Yes. Yes we have." Jiro confirmed.  
  
"That's great, really. great." Miori said, wavering slightly.  
  
Jiro looked at her, "Where's Akira?"  
  
"He's sleeping." She said.  
Mitsuko went into the kitchen, as did everyone else to continue talking with the interesting guests, and to make dinner. Mitsuko and Miori, now that Mitsuko was sure that she had Jiro back she'd become much nicer towards her, made dinner while the others sat around the table and Masaru on the counter.  
  
"Music, anyone?" Dr. Komyoji asked, putting on an old Big Band ballad.  
  
"I like this one." Miori said, still slightly miffed that Jiro hadn't returned her secret love.  
  
Mitsuko passed Miori salt and pepper, "Me, too. Do you listen to music a lot?"  
  
"I used to, but I haven't had much chance because of all the running away we've done. Sure, we hear snatches every once and a while on the street, or in the car. But other than that, we don't usually." Miori said.  
  
The boys were talking about music as well.  
  
"Well, I did give Jiro a guitar. though where it is now, I've no idea." Dr. Komyoji said, bright smile playing across his elderly features.  
  
"I don't have a clue, doctor, I dropped it when." He stopped just short of this somewhat painful memory of Masaru's.  
  
"Actually, Jiro, I have it. I even tried to put it back together!" Masaru said brightly.  
  
Masaru ran out of the room to get his guitar.  
  
"Oh, Jiro, I almost forgot!" Mitsuko said, pausing from her cooking, "Masaru's birthday is in a few days. We should all do something for him."  
  
"That's nice. How old is he now?" Jiro asked.  
  
"Masaru's going to be thirteen!" Dr. Komyoji explained, "How they do grow up so fast! Mitsuko's almost as old as I am!"  
  
"Dad! I'm only twenty-five!" Mitsuko protested.  
  
Jiro laughed, "Only?"  
  
"Oh, it's pick-on-Mitsuko day, is it? Where's my notice?" Mitsuko asked.  
  
Miori suddenly laughed, "Men only give out notices when it's their birthday."  
  
"Yes, that's it." Mitsuko said.  
  
Jiro's very being was laughing inside, smiling for the world at having his family with him. Was Miori and Akira family to him now? No. ok, very close friends. Mitsuko was his love, Dr. Komyoji. well, he was Dr. Komyoji. Ichiro and Rei were his brothers, then there was Masaru. but due to his relationship, he didn't know what to classify them all as.  
He just knew that after this was all over, he'd stay here forever, with his family.  
  
____________*  
  
Masaru stopped short of the doorway to the kitchen, breathing deeply. Did this mean that Jiro was going to stay? Did this mean he had Jiro back? Jiro was like his brother. He couldn't bear to lose him again. Masaru was sure that if Mitsuko lost Jiro one more time, she wouldn't survive emotionally. And what about these four new people? If Jiro had brothers, as Ichiro and Rei were claimed to be, then they were his family, too. But what about Miori and Akira? How was he supposed to classify them in his mind?  
Holding the guitar tightly, Masaru put on an almost-fake smile and went in to the happy kitchen. 


	3. Living the Dream

Chapter Three: Living the Dream  
  
(AN: I know now from close examination of Kikaider that Miori's name is Riako (know I spelled that wrong, too.) But I'm going to keep it the same. Just to clear that up.)  
  
"Pass the carrots, please." Masaru asked Miori from across the table.  
  
"Why do humans gotta eat anyways?" Ichiro mumbled a little angrily.  
  
Rei just sat next to him at the window and stared out at newly formed snow on the ground of the dark night.  
  
"So Mitsuko, do you still want to move?" Dr. Komyoji asked after subsiding the chewing of his own meal.  
  
Mitsuko waited a moment, "I'm not sure yet. I suppose I'll have to wait until this has played itself out."  
  
"Good choice." Miori said. Mitsuko smiled.  
  
'I don't know if I can trust her. or not. I hope I can, I was rather quick to judge earlier. She seems so nice, and she's so determined to protect Akira. I remember being that way with Masaru.' Mitsuko thought.  
  
Jiro leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Penny for your thoughts?"  
  
Mitsuko blushed and laughed lightly, "More like a dollar."  
  
"Interesting." Jiro said, "Care to share?"  
  
"Alright Dr. Seuss. I remember being as protective of Masaru when he was little, as Miori is with Akira." Mitsuko said.  
  
Miori looked up, a little shocked and her minimal jealously somewhat subsiding in the midst of it all, "Really? You were like me with Masaru?"  
  
"Yes, actually." Mitsuko said, and laughed again, "I used to have to worry all the time about his well-being when Jiro and I left without him. Once he even went so far as to follow us to where we had gone. It nearly gave Hadori and Etsuko a heart attack."  
  
"I remember that." Masaru said softly, "That was when I met Kuyo. and. Kaito. and Reiku."  
  
"Its over and done with now, Masaru." Jiro soothed, and turning to Mitsuko asked, "Say, where are Hadori and Etsuko?"  
  
Dr. Komyoji shook himself from silence, "Who are they? You've never mentioned them."  
  
"Oh, you're right. Hanpel Hadori is a privet detective, and Etsuko is like his secretary. Masaru and I hired them to help us find Jiro when he ran away."  
  
"I wasn't running." Jiro protested, "I was. searching."  
  
"Call it what you want, you ran." Mitsuko said, and Masaru laughed, hard.  
  
"Do my ears deceive me?" Ichiro asked, "Little Jiro. running away?"  
  
Jiro was impossibly red for an android, "I didn't run!"  
  
"Of course not." Ichiro said, turning back to the window with his cocky, knowing smile.  
  
"Have you shown this much human emotion before?" Dr. Komyoji asked excitedly.  
  
"Huh?" Jiro asked, dumbstruck.  
  
"You were blushing a moment before." Miori said.  
  
"Oh. I. don't know." He stated.  
  
"That one time. with our mother, you did." Masaru said, again hushed.  
  
"Yes, you cried for me. Because she was going to kill me, and you cried." Mitsuko said, suddenly remembering him that night, when he quivered with indignation and fury while Mitsuko's mother held a gun to Mitsuko's head. she remembered his words.  
  
"Get away from her. I'm warning you, get away from Mitsuko!" And the tears that slid down his face at the very thought of losing his first and only love.  
  
"For me." Mitsuko emphasized.  
  
"You cried, too, little bro?" Ichiro asked, laughing fit to kill, "You actually cried a river for Mitsuko here?"  
  
"Ichiro." Rei reprimanded silently.  
  
Ichiro stopped, but only reluctantly, and Jiro struggled to get the topic onto safer grounds, "So where is the good detective and faithful secretary?"  
  
"They got married three years ago. We went to their wedding, and it was actually quite nice. Actually, Hadori called the other day-." Mitsuko said.  
  
"Positively jumping with joy through the phone, I might add." Masaru said, "It seems Etsuko's pregnant."  
  
"Wow, married and pregnant." Jiro whistled.  
  
Mitsuko nodded, "She said that she was naming me Godmother to their child." She smiled.  
  
"What's a godmother?" Rei asked.  
  
"In case something bad happens to Etsuko and Hadori, their child won't be left without a place to go. Whoever it is will come and live with me, and I'll be considered the parental guardian."  
  
"I see." He said silently.  
  
"I think it's time we moved on to the living room, or got some sleep, it's really quite late." Miori said, crossing her arms above the table.  
  
Everyone looked at her, then the clock over the phone, and Mitsuko said, "Oh! I didn't realize how late it was."  
  
Putting the dishes and silverware in the sink, Jiro and Mitsuko were the only ones in the kitchen, everyone having left for the living room or to bed. "Do they believe something will happen to them?" Jiro asked suddenly.  
  
"What? Oh, Hanpel and Etsuko? I don't know. It's just a precaution, really." Mitsuko said. She yawned.  
  
Jiro encircled her in his arms; "I think it's time to get you to bed."  
  
Mitsuko turned around as best she could to look at him, "You'll stay with me, tonight?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" He asked, slightly surprised.  
  
She looked away and leaned into his shoulder, "I don't know. It's just now that you really have come back, even if at first it wasn't because you wanted to, I don't really feel like losing you again."  
  
"I would leave you for the world right now, Mitsuko." Jiro said.  
  
She yawned again, and Jiro led her upstairs without protest, ignoring Ichiro's laughs deliberately, and painfully ignoring Miori's hurt glance. He didn't know why he felt it. or why he felt guilty. He hadn't loved Miori, and he knew he probably couldn't. His life belonged with Mitsuko and Masaru.  
He laid down Mitsuko, who was already fast asleep as soon as she gracefully fell to the bed. Shifting her slightly, he sat down next to her. Jiro really wasn't going to sleep in the same bed with her again, but when he turned to leave her, she had a death grip on his arm.  
  
"Oh. uh. I guess I really will have to sleep here tonight, huh, Mitsuko?" Jiro asked.  
  
Mitsuko didn't say anything, and Jiro hadn't expected her to, so he just lay down beside her, realizing that it felt so incredibly right to be here with her, like this. Before all thoughts left his head and two screams echoed into the night.  
  
_____________*  
  
Professor Gill, now reduced to an android embodiment, was restless.  
  
"Have you found news on them yet Bejinder?" He snapped out.  
  
"Not yet, Gill, but I'm getting close." Her voice sounded.  
  
He growled, "How close?!"  
  
"They've gone to certain place of residence just outside a major town, the Komyoji family lives there."  
  
"Komyoji?" Gill laughed to himself, "I suppose he's gone back to the dear old doctor."  
  
____________*  
  
Jiro sat bolt upright beside Mitsuko. Had he heard screams? Why did he doubt himself, of course that's what he heard! He shook Mitsuko as gently as he could in his own wake to get her up.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked sleepily.  
  
"Did you hear that?" He asked, before jumping out of bed, only having taken off his shoes and jacket.  
  
"What?" She asked again, becoming more aware, "Jiro, what's. what happened?"  
  
"I heard someone scream. or maybe two people." Jiro said, and ran out of the room.  
  
Mitsuko threw on a robe, and quickly followed, hearing Jiro's command of, "Check Masaru and doctor!"  
  
Jiro himself went to Akira and Miori.  
  
"Miori? Are you alright?" He asked upon entry.  
  
But whom he saw, wasn't Miori.  
  
"Who are you, what have you done with Miori?!"  
  
It was a golden android, sort of like Bejinder. There were differences however. Where Bejinder would attack instead of tremble, this one all-out cried in agony. She raised her hands to her golden head and shook with sadness, falling to the floor heavily.  
  
"It's not. it can't be. I'm human!" She wailed.  
  
Jiro froze, "Miori?"  
  
She nodded pathetically, "I. I don't know w-what happened!"  
  
"Just. here, let me help." He said softly, and helped her get back on the bed.  
  
"I'm h-human!!" She wailed yet again.  
  
"I know Miori," Jiro agreed, feeling it was better not to contradict her now, "Just. we'll take care of this later, ok? Now, I'm going to leave for a moment and check on the others, I'll be back, ok?"  
  
She nodded, still crying to pieces and he got up to see Mitsuko in the doorway that motioned for him to come out.  
  
"Who else was it?" He asked, closing the door.  
  
"Akira. something wrong." Mitsuko said, and they both turned and walked rapidly to Akira's room.  
  
Akira was shaking in the corner, asking questions to himself such as, 'where am I?' and 'how did I get here?' Trembling from head to foot, he tried to back into the corner even more when he noticed them enter.  
  
"Akira?" Jiro asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"  
  
Akira looked up, and Mitsuko noticed the change when Jiro didn't.  
  
"Jiro. his eyes!" She said, gripping his arm.  
  
Akira looked up, "Where's Miori? Who are you?"  
  
Mitsuko went over to him, but he gave a yelp and tried to move the chair in front of him closer.  
  
"Akira. I'm not going to hurt you. It's ok, you're safe. Miori's here, she's just asleep." Mitsuko soothed.  
  
"Mitsuko, I don't. I can't." Jiro said, struggling to understand.  
  
"What's the last thing you remember?" She asked.  
  
"Miori was. leading me out of a forest place. saying something about. my. my father." He stuttered, reluctant to relieve any information to Mitsuko.  
  
"Well Miori is here, she's not going to leave you. She's just. sick. for the moment. I want you to get back in bed, and go to sleep. Nothing here is going to harm you." Mitsuko instructed.  
  
Akira was edgy and doubtful about her, but he did as told.  
  
"You just sleep tonight, and we'll be back in the morning with Miori to help you." Mitsuko said.  
  
They closed the door, and Jiro looked at Mitsuko expectantly.  
  
"His eyes are different. Before they were so empty and. cold. Now they're full of warmth, and emotion. Maybe Gill had him somewhat asleep? Under. some sort of medication, something?" Mitsuko explained.  
  
"It's possible." Jiro mused.  
  
The door next to Akira's sounded a whimper that grew.  
  
"I'll help Miori for tonight. Maybe I can help her get into her human form. It's no doubt about it that she's definitely android. Maybe the doctor can help us more tomorrow?" Jiro said.  
  
"Yes." Mitsuko answered, still troubled.  
  
Jiro went inside Miori's, and Mitsuko stood outside the door for another moment, feeling lost at heart, before she went for sleep.  
  
__________*  
  
"How are you doing, Miori?" He asked gently.  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Well, I'm going to try to find a way to revert this to your human form, alright?" He asked her.  
  
She nodded vigorously.  
  
"But I'll need you to help me, so you'll have to get up." He instructed.  
  
Miori did so, but reluctantly.  
  
He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to find switches like his own, but found nothing.  
  
"Did you push some part of your body before this happened?" He asked her.  
  
She once more shook her head.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Jiro was about to try her wrists, or hands, but she pulled back.  
  
"Miori. I need to try this." He said, trying subtly to get her to understand him.  
  
"How. how do you do it?" She asked quietly. "How do I do what?" Jiro asked, frustrated.  
  
"Get into your. other half." She said.  
  
"Oh, you mean transform? I have switches on my shoulders." He said, "I checked you, you don't have them." He added as she tried miserably to find some on her shoulders.  
  
"Then where are mine?" She asked, and began trembling.  
  
"Miori, that's what I've been looking for, but you need to help me." He said.  
  
"Could you. um, I mean, can you. well, what I mean is could you transform now?" She asked hesitantly.  
  
"But. Miori, why?" Jiro asked in return.  
  
"I don't know, it was just a thought, ignore it." She said and waved her hand dismissively.  
  
"If it'll make you feel better, I will." He said and she nodded quickly, "Alright."  
  
Hitting the switches on his shoulders, he reverted to his android form. She stopped trembling so much, and let him search her wrists. Catching something that felt like a snag, he pushed.  
  
"Ouch!" She exclaimed, but starting from her feet and going up, a bright light washed over her, changing her back.  
  
Seeing he'd done it, he changed back as well.  
  
"Thank you, thank you!" She said happily, throwing her arms around his shoulders.  
  
He laughed gently, "You're welcome. But. I'm surprised, you didn't. know?"  
  
She didn't let go, "No. I've been human all my life, how could I?"  
  
"Maybe Professor Gill did something to you, then?" He asked, more to himself than to her.  
  
"Maybe." She echoed.  
  
Before he'd had the chance to understand what happened, she had pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss. Seeing as he was slow on the uptake, she then quickly pulled back and mumbled a sorry before letting go of him.  
He walked out of the room in a daze, unsure of how to handle what happened. 


	4. I'm Going For Now

Chapter Four: I'm Going. For Now  
  
(AN: Thank you all my reviewers for now. But I have to cut you off on the moment. I feel so unloved by ff.net!! I won't continue until I get at least thirteen reviews. AT LEAST, then I'll post immediately. Thank you for reading this, the following: Bynnie, xXSoraXx, Joce, KaT aka Mistress Shinigami, Queen of Duels, and Ciaran Gabriel. You guys rock!! ^_^ Storymind~ P.S: Sorry this chapter is so short. it's meant as a mild-cliffy to help get reviews. Remember, thirteen! ^_^)  
  
"Jiro, are you sure you're ok? You look. worried. Was Miori alright?" Mitsuko asked the next morning.  
  
Jiro thought about telling her what happened, just as he had when he slipped back into bed beside her. Beside her.  
  
'Beside Mitsuko. that's where I belong.' Jiro thought, spacing.  
  
"Jiro?" Mitsuko asked, waving a bemused hand in front of his face, "Jiro?"  
  
Masaru walked past holding a juice box, "Has he spaced out again?"  
  
Mitsuko dropped her hand and looked towards Masaru, "Yes. I just don't know what's gotten into him. Hey. are you giving that to Akira?"  
  
Masaru glanced at the juice box, "I figured he'd need it since he didn't come back to breakfast."  
  
"Masaru. wait a moment." Mitsuko said and stepped away from Jiro, "Akira. was under something. He wasn't really himself, like he was sleepwalking. It's something Gill did to him. He woke up last night. Just be careful. tell him who you are before you go near him, he might suspect you're here to take him back to Professor Gill."  
  
"Oh. that's the screaming last night? No wonder. Ok, I'll be careful." Masaru said and walked on down the hallway.  
  
"I belong with Mitsuko. beside her. all the time." Jiro muttered.  
  
Mitsuko stepped back to him, "I'm glad you think so!"  
  
"Huh?" Jiro asked, dumbstruck. Mitsuko giggled, "I don't think I got enough sleep last night." Jiro added, blushing.  
  
"You've grown a lot, Jiro. I'm proud. Even father didn't believe your Gemini would evolve this much." Mitsuko said, and leading him onto the back porch where everyone else was.  
  
"Oh?" Jiro asked, trying to sound interested.  
  
Miori and Ichiro were in a heated argument over something about the emotion of love, Rei and Bejinder were playing chess; something Jiro thought Bejinder wouldn't do if her life depended on it, Dr. Komyoji was lounging in a chair reading, and Masaru was trying to teach Akira how to score a soccer goal. Jiro grabbed the last seat and Mitsuko sat down on the arm of the chair.  
  
"And what do you believe the feeling of love is?!" Miori asked, temper inflamed.  
  
"It's not a feeling, it's not even an emotion!" Ichiro fired back.  
  
"Of course it's a feeling! It's the opposite of anger, of hate; you're just incapable of feeling it! Are you afraid?" She asked, her ebony hair flying lose of it's pony tail in indignation.  
  
"No! I'm not afraid of anything!" He retorted.  
  
They both stared daggers at one another, then both mirrored one another by crossing their arms over their chests and slumping in their chairs. Masaru was dancing around looking funny while Akira laughed, because Akira had made his first goal.  
  
Mitsuko leaned over to Jiro and whispered, "Who is she?" And motioning to Bejinder.  
  
"Oh. I guess it's Miori's sister. Her name is Bejinder, but I really have no clue as to when she got here." Jiro said.  
  
"Miori's sister?" Mitsuko asked, confused.  
  
"Yeah. She tried to kill us once before, but when Miori stopped her, she felt the 'feeling', but didn't understand it." Jiro explained.  
  
"Feeling?" Mitsuko asked, now utterly hopeless. Jiro laughed.  
  
Dr. Komyoji didn't look up, but said, "When an android meets one of it's own kind, but it's not obvious they're in human form, they get a feeling that tells them that it's one of them."  
  
"That made absolutely no sense, gramps." Ichiro said, still huffily ignoring Miori.  
  
"Made perfect sense." Bejinder said, "I had no idea Miori was one of us. you are, aren't you?"  
  
Miori gave a shudder, ".yes."  
  
"Why so nervous? It's not so bad." Rei said. "Did you forget so suddenly little bro? Dear Ms. Love over here was human." Ichiro said.  
  
Rei nodded, "I haven't forgotten."  
  
Miori looked towards the potted flowers that lined just under the porch, "I hope no one does."  
  
"Oh I think we can be sure of that." Jiro said. Bejinder nodded.  
  
They all stayed as they were for a while, feeling they all wouldn't be the one to disrupt this sense of security, the serenest of the way they were. almost. like family.  
  
"Flowers behold power." Bejinder said.  
  
"Huh?" Jiro asked.  
  
There was no time to answer, for all of sudden there were Gill's robots all around, the giant crabs mostly. The Cyclops-like robot, Gill's right-hand man, stepped out of the forest.  
  
"Masaru! Grab Akira and run!" Mitsuko demanded.  
  
"Mitsuko, I want you, Miori and Dr. Komyoji to run. And run far. Go to the place we've hid before." Jiro said not unwavering his gaze from the Cyclops.  
  
Mitsuko nodded hesitantly but Ichiro said, "No way, if this girl's a robot, then she's helping us fight."  
  
"Ichiro, she doesn't know anything, now isn't the time to argue!" Jiro exclaimed. Miori nodded, and Dr. Komyoji, Mitsuko and Miori took off through the house.  
  
Masaru and Akira, who was gasping in fright, were running around the side of the house to get to Mitsuko and Miori.  
  
"Feelin' ready for a fight?" Ichiro asked with his usual cocky smirk in place.  
  
Jiro and Rei had already changed, Bejinder did a second later and Ichiro exclaimed, "Crap, I'm late for the party!" before changing as well.  
  
____________* 


	5. It Wasn't Meant to be This Way

Chapter Five: It Wasn't Meant to Be This Way (AN: WOW, you guys ROCK! Thanks for all the reviews, I got more than I wanted, which to say the least. boosted my ego more than it should have, but I loved it!! So, here is the chapter, as promised!! Sorry it's so short, but I'm struggling with what happened a few chapters back, Miori wasn't going to kiss Jiro, I swear!! Anyways, Read on, I'll have another one out soon, *PROMISE* Storymind~)  
  
"I'll get Akira, you take Masaru and lead!" Miori said.  
  
They were running far and fast, flat out, through the surrounding forest to the remains of Jiro's birthplace: Dr. Komyoji's destroyed lab. Miori was still in her human form, unchanged, as she was last night. Mitsuko was set on the defensive, her hearing at its extent, her awareness of her surroundings stretched as far she could make it go. She listened to every snapping twig; every slight flutter of wings was felt.  
Out of the bushes burst two figures, making Mitsuko give a small yell but only to find it was Masaru and Akira. They stopped only momentarily before taking up running again, with Akira in Miori's arms. Finding the still-burnt clearing, they sped into the old twisted jungle of metal, the occasional passing scratch here and there.  
  
"Ah!" Miori's voice screamed into the summer afternoon as she fell heavily to the ground, shielding Akira with her arms.  
  
"That's right, Miori." A sinister voice said behind them.  
  
"No.." Masaru whispered beside Mitsuko as they turned on the moment to see Miori on the ground, Akira below her and the person that could only make their situation worse.  
  
___________*  
  
A jolt here, an electric charge there, and the hits just kept on coming. Jiro, Ichiro and Rei were dogging their best and fighting the worst, but the crowd didn't seem to thin. Bejinder was having a right old time herself, but it was easier with her own mind control powers.  
  
"This isn't working!" Rei shouted for them to hear, "There are too many!"  
  
"It's like Gill is using this as a distraction." Ichiro mumbled to himself while slicing through another crab.  
  
"He would. They're just here to keep us from protecting Akira!" Jiro concluded, "We have to find them!" Then looking around at their frozen faces of understanding, "What are you waiting for? GO!"  
  
Then they were off, dodging, hitting, and running to catch up with Miori, Akira, Mitsuko, Masaru and Dr. Komyoji.  
  
__________*  
  
"She'll be fine." A dark voice was heard.  
  
"Really, you don't think you just hit her too hard?" A skeptical woman's voice sounded.  
  
"Well if you had done your job, she'd be dead!" The dark voice became harsh.  
  
"Fine. I will check on the others." And high-heels walking away echoed in the dimly-lit place.  
  
Mitsuko opened her eyes. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was.  
  
"Gill!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Very well, but I won't be here for long." Mitsuko looked around, and saw the sinister professor in all his old glory staring back at her.  
  
"What have you done with Masaru?! And Miori and. Akira?!" She asked, frightened.  
  
"Nothing as of yet. except for Akira. He is where he belongs." Gill said smoothly.  
  
Mitsuko sat up on the cold table, "Where might that be?" She asked boldly.  
  
"It is none of your concern. What you should be concerned with is your own life." Gill said, and started to walk away.  
  
"I'm not finished with you! Come back here! Face me like a good robot should!" Mitsuko shouted at him.  
  
He paused before his next step and Mitsuko knew she'd crossed a line.  
  
"Do you believe I'm completely robot? No. I'm merely using his body." Gill said icily, "You'd do well to watch your tongue, the next words you say could be your last."  
  
Mitsuko's eyes widened dramatically, and she gave a slight whimper of fear. Although she couldn't see it, she knew he was giving a victorious smile; he'd made her cower in fear behind him.  
  
___________*  
  
"Hm? Mitsuko?" Masaru asked sleepily.  
  
He lay on the table; shirt slightly messed up from falling somehow. It was cold, he could register that much. And dark. Dark! That's the secret organization that was founded by Gill.  
  
Masaru sat up as fast as he could and knocked someone's hand out of his face, and whomever it was said, "Oh!" in surprise.  
  
"Huh? Where's Mitsuko?!" He demanded.  
  
Then he looked towards the person hovering over him slightly. He felt his jaw drop; it was his mother.  
  
"Mom? But. you're. you." He struggled to get out the confirmation that she was dead.  
  
"Dead? No. Almost. It was quite a mere hit." She said, a motherly smile taking place of her cold face.  
  
"Yes. You died! I saw you, you pulled the trigger and hit the ground!" Masaru said angrily. What was this? Another trick of Gill's? He wasn't that stupid.  
  
"In a way, yes. I did. That day my humanity died to be replaced by. a.an android." She said softly.  
  
"So you are dead!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Didn't you already believe that?" She asked, "Yes. And as for Mitsuko, she's fine."  
  
"Where is she?" He demanded once more, determined not to be interrupted from his question again.  
  
His mother got up, not looking at him, and started for the door, "Goodbye, Masaru."  
  
"Huh?" He was utterly confused, "Where are you going? Where is Mitsuko!?"  
  
She merely waved a mechanical hand dismissively and walked out of the room, shutting the door. The moment he was sure she'd gone, he jumped off the table and pounded the door.  
  
"Damn you! Damn you!" He yelled, sure she'd hear him anyway.  
  
___________*  
  
"Where are they?" Jiro asked angrily, upturning old metal pieces.  
  
Ichiro stopped, "Jiro, they're not here."  
  
"No, you don't understand! I told them to hide!" Jiro yelled, still searching for the secret door.  
  
"Jiro, they've been captured by Gill." Bejinder said, transforming back. Ichiro and Rei did the same, "We just have to find them."  
  
"Find them?" Jiro asked, not really listening.  
  
Gill had taken Mitsuko too. He knew he shouldn't have gone to Mitsuko's. he knew he shouldn't have gotten her involved in this, even if it meant he had her back, he shouldn't have done it. Jiro smacked his hands to his head in frustration.  
  
"Jiro, don't worry, we can find them. Gill's so obvious it hard to miss him." Ichiro grinned.  
  
Jiro got angry at him just then, and slammed him up against a large piece of glass, shattering it and Ichiro protested, "Hey! HEY!"  
  
"Jiro put him down. Fighting with ourselves and losing it isn't going to help them." Rei commanded.  
  
Jiro did, but reluctantly, wanting to vent his anger on someone other than himself, wishing he wasn't the one who made the mistake, that he wasn't the one who put them in danger. But he was, and now they were gone, where he didn't know. 


End file.
